Team Sky have suspended the 28-year-old pending the results of the current investigation, and have petitioned the UCI to embed one of their anti-doping officials within the team in an effort to prove that they are training and racing clean according to reports in The Times.

Nevertheless, Froome expects to suffer from guilt by association, whatever the outcome of Tiernan-Locke's case.

"Definitely. Inevitably that's the reality of it," Froome told BBC Sport. "It's hugely unfortunate for the team this is now happening."

Tiernan-Locke, who was riding for the Endura team in 2012 before signing for Sky, claims he is innocent, as does his former team manager Brian Smith.

"I'm 100% behind him," said Smith. "He's not a doper. Endura racing had a no-doping stance and as far as I'm concerned he was true to his word."